1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to portable hazardous material containment devices and more specifically it relates to a portable containment berm system for efficiently and effectively containing hazardous material spills involving a vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional hazardous material containment berms are typically comprised of a solid concrete pit that the vehicle drives into for loading/unloading of hazardous materials such as chemicals, fuel and the like. Recently, portable hazardous material containment berms have been created that can be transported and setup in remote locations as desired. Conventional portable containment berms are comprised of a fabric attached to a supporting structure. These berms receive vehicles of various weights, sizes and lengths.
A main problem with conventional portable containment berms is that they require significant amounts of time and workers to assemble. A further problem with conventional portable containment berms is that they are relatively large in size and do not allow for a compact storage size. Another of the problems with conventional portable containment berms is that the corners of the fabric material are susceptible to tearing when driven over by the vehicle. Another problem with conventional portable containment berms is that if a support rod is broken, the entire containment berm must be returned to the manufacturer for repair since the support rods are not removable or replaceable.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for efficiently and effectively containing hazardous material spills involving a vehicle. Conventional portable containment berms are not suitable for extensive repeated usage, are prone to breakage and require significant assembly.
In these respects, the portable containment berm system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of effectively containing hazardous material spills involving a vehicle.